Thursday, September 08, 2011

Aw, Fudge!

I love the autumn months. It’s my favorite time of year, really. Not necessarily because of the change of seasons. In California, there is not much change of season to begin with. It’s not because children are returning to school and all the projects that go with it. And I am not a Halloween fan. Football has its merits, but that’s not what makes the season special.

The reason fall is so much fun has much to do with the food factor. Coffee houses are stirring up their Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Cappuccinos, the sweet-spicy fragrance of apple pie will soon fill the air, and the deeper into autumn and closer to the holidays, the more people will try their hand at cookies and candies. (All this is in addition to the annual
October 5 National Holiday in celebration of the day I was born!)

Believe it or not, I have actually taken to making food to share with others. From my own kitchen. Yes, she-who-burns-soup and sets-toaster-ovens-on-fire has found a flame-free method of making fudge! Not just ordinary fudge – Nutella Feel-Good Fudge! According to legend, this variety of sweet chocolaty nuttiness has certain medicinal benefits. There is a report of a lady who underwent knee surgery and was told she would never return to normal activity again. (OK, I’m exaggerating just a little. She was given a six week recovery period.) After eating this amazing concoction, she returned to work and her full range of activities after a mere 2 ½ hours after surgery! (Exaggerating again. It was more like two weeks.)*

You too can benefit from this amazing concoction. Take my word for it – the recipe for Nutella Feel-Good Fudge is simple and fast, and easy to clean-up. Otherwise I would have nothing to do with the preparation of this wonder of wonderful wonders. Here is what you need, and what you do:

What you need:
1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bag of chopped hazelnuts
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
½ jar (or so) of Nutella
8” x 8” pan, buttered on the sides so the fudge doesn’t become one with the pan

What you do:
Empty the bag of chocolate chips, the bag of hazelnuts, the can of sweetened condensed milk, and the ½ jar (or so) of Nutella into a glass mixing bowl. Stir all this stuff together, then cook it on high in the microwave for 1 ½ minutes. If it’s not completely melted, cook it for a minute or so more. When everything is melted together, pour the goo into your pan. Chill the fudge in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or until it sets. Cut it into bite-size pieces.

If you want to be stingy and keep the fudge all to yourself, that’s up to you. But you keep your friends longer when you share this goodness with them.

*The claims of Nutella Feel-Good Fudge as a healing catalyst have not been officially endorsed by the FDA.
But who cares? It still makes for a good story.